


Pursuit.

by lycorisrxdiata



Series: To Fell a Nation One-Shot Series [1]
Category: League of Legends
Genre: Creampie, Dom/sub Undertones, Eventual Smut, F/M, Old Lore, Sexual Tension, Shorts, don't @ me aight /, i'm here for a good time /, mini-series, new lore, not a long time /
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2020-03-02 10:02:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18808924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lycorisrxdiata/pseuds/lycorisrxdiata
Summary: ( New Lore AU ) Riven has teamed up with Yasuo after a deal they made during their last duel: find the real killer, and her innocence would be proven. Problem is, they have to track down the Brotherhood in Piltover and infiltrate a private gala to find more clues. Will they be able to find what they want, or will the obstacles in their way prove too much?  Yasuo/Riven. Rated T for swearing and violence, rating will go up in later chapters.





	1. the prelude.

**Author's Note:**

> Nobody:
> 
> Absolutely Nobody:
> 
> Me: So anyway, about those one shots I wanted to write...
> 
> Okay guys, I'm here! Here's that mini-series I promised I'd deliver on ( and that like...3 of you cheered me on for, so shoutout to y'all! ) Instead of forcing myself to write a chapter series when I know that's my literal weakness, I'm just going to write out the scenes I've been holding onto that I can't write since I haven't updated that fic in 5 months, but I can't bring myself to update because I like instant gratification and want smut to happen now, not in 50 chapters.
> 
> Yeah.
> 
> I think this is pretty self explanatory.I'm banking off of New Lore since it's more cohesive, but I'm ignoring just about everything that happened in Confessions of a Broken Blade. Like, if I could pretend Riven and Yasuo had the same backstory with New Lore, that's all I'd want. But that's okay, that's what writing is for!
> 
> For a better understanding of what's going on when I say 'the Brotherhood' and what have you, It would help a little more if you read my chapter fic, To Fell a Nation, but I don't think its necessary to appreciate this :) Not all chapters in this mini-series are going to be THIS long, but expect about 1-2k for each chapter to accommodate worldbuilding and development. 
> 
> Think that's it for now. Enjoy! ♥

" I don't think this will work. "  
  
The 'Greyson & Co.' sign looms ominous from the alleyway, the long stretch of walls framing the store from where Riven stands. After several rounds of people pass by — families, lone women, women in pairs, and even a gaggle of tipsy men — she folds her arms and pulls away from the view. " Nobody has gone in for the last hour. We cannot wait much longer. "  
  
" Change of plans, then. "  
  
Yasuo rises to his feet and dusts himself off.  
  
" A change of plans. "  Riven repeats, leaning against the building wall with a knit brow and narrowed eyes.  
  
" You're the one that said we can't wait forever, so unless you got somethin' better... "  
  
Her eyes narrow to slits, though her lips do little more than thin into a flat line.  He smirks as he scratches his chin.  
  
" Anyway, it's easy. Instead of waitin' for somebody else to be the distraction, you're* gonna do it yourself. "  
  
Riven leaps forward, arms now at her side with hands curled into fists. She parts her mouth to speak —  
  
" I did some askin' around earlier. Some old man runs the business all by himself, ain't no children or partners to contend with. If we can't go in and pretend we're a couple, then he's probably more likely to help a single woman who needs to look good for a gala. Not me. "  
  
Just like that, Yasuo guts the wind from her sails. She does little more than deflate, arms going back to being folded.  
  
" And you will...? "  
  
" Do the stealin', of course. "  
  
No answer.  
  
" Listen, I'm light on my feet. That old coop won't know I'm there as long as you got his attention. "  
  
Her shoulders slump. Gaze, now averted to the asphalt.  
  
" If we are caught before we get to the gala, this whole 'operation' is a waste. " She parts her lips to continue, but closes them for a moment longer. " ...it seems too risky. We do not even have a back-up plan if this goes wrong. "  
  
" Riven. "  
  
She tenses. A brow knits until worry lines mar her forehead.  
  
" You trust me? "  
  
Her eyes dart back up to meet his. Shoulders, slumped as worry overtakes her.  
  
" I — wish to. "  
  
The distance is little. Yasuo closes it,  warm hands on either side of her arms. He starts to massage them; it's hard for her to stay dreading what might go wrong when his touch makes her mind go blank with an unnameable ease.  
  
" I'm not gonna let us get caught. "  


* * *

  
  
" Welcome! "  
  
The boutique is much larger than Riven could've imagined from the outside; as far as the candlelight lets see, there is nothing but shelves stocked with threads and needles and cut fabric, and any counter space is occupied by projects. Closer to her were round racks of clothes, each one arranged by gender, size, and style.  
  
Between the vast selection and the fact that she had the shopkeeper's eyes all on her, she can't stop the creeping flush on her cheeks. How is she supposed to pick an outfit when she doesn't even know where to start?  
  
" Hey, are you deaf? I said welcome! "  
  
She turns to face him with a terse and twitching smile.  
  
" Um, forgive me. I am...new here. This is my first time buying from your shop — a lot of my colleagues recommended I come here to pick an outfit for the gala tonight. "  
  
The shopkeeper springs to life. When he emerges from his post at the counter, he's much shorter than Riven imagined, so much so that she has to look down to meet his beady eyes.  
  
" The gala? Oh, you must be important if you're going to that, forgive my manners. "  
  
" It is — "  
  
" Come, right this way. "  
  
Riven is taken by the hand and yanked away to the back. She steals a glance behind her every so often, making sure she does it only when the shopkeep is too busy shuffling through the racks to find her something suitable.  
  
' _do not take forever, Yasuo..._ '  
  
" Ah, here we go. Come, come. "  
  
She steps toward a set of towering mirrors; unlike the front with its simple candlelight,  a small chandelier casts enough light on her to banish shadow, making it easy to see even the most faded details on her current dress.  
  
" What is this? "  
  
The shopkeeper holds it up to her with him on a step-stool, gaze darting back and forth between her and the outfit.  
  
" Yes, yes...this one shouldn't need altercations for you. "  
  
" Wait, I want to know — "  
  
" Try it on. "  
  
Riven's left with no choice. She complies, cursing her luck under her breath as she fights with the material. Once she figures out which foot goes where, she slips into it like a glove, cloth hugging her thighs and sides. It's tight, but not suffocating, and light without being sheer.  
  
" Yes, I think that's perfect. " The shopkeeper steeples his fingers. " Turn around! "  
  
She shifts on the balls of her feet. It's a simple thing, a milk white jumpsuit that melts into a soft green towards her ankles. In the center, the low cut of the cloth reveals the curve of her breasts, though the sturdier material — whatever it was — keeps them from slipping out or being too revealing.  
  
For a second, she laments that she can't afford to pay him the right way.  
  
" What do you think? "  
  
" I... "  
  
Riven turns back to the shopkeeper. The corner of her eye catches something blue —  
  
_' shit. '_  
  
" You...? "  
  
" I... " She stares at the shopkeeper, mouth ajar as she racks her thoughts. Once it clicks, she makes a funny face, her lips curled into a half-frown while she narrows her eyes at a spot behind the man. " ...thought I heard something strange coming from behind you. "  
  
" Behind me? Nonsense. "  
  
" Are you calling me a liar? "  
  
The shopkeeper flusters.  
  
" No, miss, not at all. Maybe it's those damn raccoons again..."  
  
She sighs out the breath she was holding when he scatters off, then turns her head back to the scene of the crime. From behind a rack, Yasuo emerges, something long, white, and red held fast to his chest.  
  
Wait —  
  
Amber and hazel meet. There's a way, she realizes, that he's looking at her; instead of holding her gaze, he lets his own dip down as if pricing an art piece. In kind, she bites down on her bottom lip and looks back to the mirror, flushed hot with that same, unnameable ease that has her hoping he's still drinking her in.  
  
" Thief! "

  
Spirits. Riven whips her head back towards Yasuo, who's nothing more than a blur of color as he sprints out the door.  
  
" Stop him! "  
  
The shopkeeper hobbles right after, shouting obscenity after obscenity as he enters the streets.  
  
Now's her chance. A quick look-around, and she spots a small door framed in silver left ajar from behind a small pile of boxes.  
  
Whether or not the shopkeeper was on his way back doesn't determine how fast Riven runs; she hops over the small counter with her old clothes in tow, bare feet hitting the carpet, then the pavement. She whips past jutting garbage bins and even leaps over a homeless man laying out.  
  
" Stop that thief! "  
  
There: on the opposite side of the buildings, the shopkeeper's shouts and the same blur of color let her know she's not even a full block away.  
  
Fewer buildings whip past the exile, and the threat of a black brick wall nears.  
  
" Yasuo! I'm coming up on a dead end! "  
  
" Get out of the alley! We got a lotta ground to cover! "  
  
" What, and make more of a scene?!? "  
  
" Just trust me! "  
  
Riven looks between him and the encroaching dead end, nose crinkling.  
  
" I do not like this! "  
  
But she takes a sharp turn just one building shy of the dead end,  meeting back up with Yasuo.  
  
" Now what ?!? "  
  
" Keep runnin'! "  
  
She doesn't keep track of where they're going. Her only thought is how hard she can keep pushing ki through to her legs and to run, run, run.  


* * *

  
  
" I'm sorry. "  
  
It's the first thing Yasuo says after they've regained their breath, though both are still slumped on the bench in a molten puddle of sweat and skin.  " I said we wouldn't get caught...I almost blew it. "  
  
Riven tilts her head up. She ignores the stickiness of his shoulder as she regards him — like her, he was disheveled, short locks every which way from the furious running they did. Despite it, he still looks composed, staring off into the park's trees.  
  
True to form, she was want to point out his mistake. He _did_ almost cost them...  
  
...looking at him, however, she thinks back to the way he eyed her in the shop, and she thinks about her end of the deal in finding Elder Souma's real killer, and her already weak anger dies in the back of her throat.  
  
There were more important things to pick a fight over.  
  
" You worry yourself too much. " Riven turns her head to the trees as well. " The execution may not have been perfect, but we still got out. That is all that matters. "  
  
Silence. She sighs. Her shoulders slump once again.  
  
" ...I do not know how I am going to go into the gala like this, though. My sandals will go poorly with this outfit. "  
  
" You're not goin' into the gala like anything. "  
  
Riven lifts her head up again. Yasuo lifts up his arm; underneath the robe were two pairs of shoes; one a simple pair of bamboo sandals, and the other, a pair of white, leather heels. He also clutches a small tube between his finger, her best guess being lipstick.  
  
" How did you — "  
  
His lips twitch upward.  
  
" Clever man. " She confesses, her own eyes hiding a wicked glint.  
  
" We gotta hail a ride to the gala. Ran in the opposite direction of the damn thing. "  
  
" Yes, I know. "  
  
Neither move.  
  
" Whenever you are ready. "  
  
" Ladies first. "  
  
Again, neither move. Riven decides to keep her head where its at, even allowing Yasuo to slip an arm around her shoulders. A few minutes couldn't hurt — after all, that's what the Piltovians' called being 'fashionably late' to a party.


	2. the plan.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Riven teaches Yasuo a thing or two about breaking into enemy territory, and yes, the fake marriage is necessary to do it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: yeet, motherfucker.
> 
> ( No, I haven't forgotten about my drabbles. 
> 
> Yes, there will be an update - eventually. 
> 
> For now, take this :3 )

This really won't work now, Riven thinks over and over again.    
  
Something will go awry; maybe a patron will look at them and sniff out the imposters in them. Maybe the Brotherhood, in all of their one-step-aheadness, will drug the right drinks and take them out quicker than they can even see the dance floor. Hell, even the shop owner might have enough smarts to assume (correctly) that they were heading somewhere important enough to have to steal for, and find them, and the police will end up dragging them out in a pair of silver handcuffs.  
  
Yes, she keeps thinking, this just isn't going to work.  
  
Despite it, she smooths her long, wild hair into a loose side bun. From her holster she then procures three throwing knives with iridescent handles, tucking them into the joint where tie meets hair. Fanned out and buried deep, the knives look innocent. Stylish, even, as she pumps her bun up one last time. Stray tresses fall to her face but oh well, she decides, she can simply tuck them behind her ear and pass it off as intentional. Messy can be in.  
  
Messy will have to be in.  
  
" I think I am ready. "  
  
Riven shuffles through her knapsack, just to be sure. Nothing remains but rolled up maps and some leftover snacks.  
  
Good.  
  
She now tucks said knapsack beneath a haystack sitting atop a wooden and idle wheelbarrow. For a city so 'advanced,' she was surprised to see so many guests coming in with their horses and their wagons. Then again, this event was not Piltover exclusive; every year, this gala was held as a peace-building exercise of sorts between the City of Progress and Ionia, two very different countries with the similar goal of keeping Noxus at bay.  Whether they chose to come by car or by animal made no difference in the end, did it?  
  
" Think I'm ready too. "  
  
 Yasuo emerges from behind a wagon in his new attire. It's a simple thing, an Ionian-style top, left-over-right with long sleeves that flare out wide enough to hide her runesword (if she wanted). The bottoms are similar, and held up by a sash. Together, they bleed from white to red, and the pattern of paper cranes flying outward line the sleeves like a hurried swarm eager to escape their confinement.  
  
At first, Riven wants to dwell on the fact that he was lucky to find something so well-suited to his tastes. How was it that the shopkeeper made something so _him_?  
  
Then her eyes meet his. She realizes his hair is just long enough now to hold a decent ponytail with some swooping side bangs framing his visage, emphasizing his high cheekbones and soft gaze.  
  
" Oh, wow. "  
  
That's it, wow. She can't even think to use words like 'regal' or 'handsome' when he is so elevated and so wonderfully made under the moonlight.  
  
" Yeah, I know. " He runs a hand over his hair. " I need to cut it again soon. Been wearin' it short for so long now that it feels like it gets in the damn way. "  
  
" What? No! "  
  
Yasuo's brow twitches, then arches upward.  
  
" No? "  
  
" No...as in, um... "  
  
Riven flushes. She is thankful her tawny skin and the dark of night hide it. "...you are fine the way you are. You've no time to be thinking about a haircut when we've a mission to accomplish. "  
  
A smirk dances along his features.  
  
" Are you...complimenting me, Riv? 'Cause that's one interesting compliment if you are. "  
  
The soft, red flush turns hard and bright as she snaps her head to him and glares him down.  
  
" Shut up. " Her brows furrow. " Come here. "  
  
Yasuo does it without further protest, though the smirk never quite leaves his lips. Instead of drawing any more attention to her embarrassment, Riven simply brings her hand up to his top, smoothing down any wrinkles he might have missed.  
  
A comfortable silence lapses over. She continues to smooth the cloth even when it stops being necessary, or useful. In turn, he continues to stand there, close, his chest rising and falling slow as if he tried to match his breathing to her movement.  
  
Pause. Riven looks up with her hand resting right over his heart. Yasuo then brings a hand to cover hers, and holds it.    
  
The feeling comes back again. It demands more attention than it has been,  the weight of a white-hot coil tightening deep in the pit of her abdomen.  
  
She wants to kiss him, she realizes. Or him kiss her. Or for them both to do it at the same time.  
  
No, not now. Or ever! This was a mission and nothing more. Besides, this goddamn man was keen to have her head not but a few months ago! It's not like having to _act_ like they were together meant they needed to _be_ together.  
  
Right?  
  
" We should head in. "  
  
Yasuo looks to the building beside them. Made of granite, it towers tall and stretches wide. Spirits only know how many guests were pouring in tonight.  
  
" Yeah. " He looks back to her. " Any changes you wanna make to the plan? "  
  
Riven meets his gaze and doesn't falter. He still hasn't let go of her hand.  
  
" No. Just follow my lead and we should get in. "  
  


 

  
  
" And you are...? "  
  
The stout courtier alternates between eyeing his list and the supposed couple before them. A single, hairy brow is raised, and his thick lips are pursed into a tight line.  
  
" The Inoues. "  
  
" Inoue, Inoue... " He flips through several pages. All are written in black ink with names, but only some are crossed out. He reaches the end, then cycles back to the beginning, flipping all the pages back on themselves. " Don't see anybody under the name. "  
  
" No Arashi and Amara Inoue? "  
  
" No. "  
  
Riven puts a hand to her chest. Her shoulders slump — she is crestfallen.  
  
" That is strange. We should be on it. "  
  
" I'm sorry, ma'am, but I don't see your names. Maybe you're not in the right place to begin with. "  
  
She whips around on her heel and turns to Yasuo with a look that's half-shock and half-indignation.  
  
" Arashi, did you put our names on the list? "  
  
" What? Wait, I — "  
  
" Ma'am — "  
  
" You didn't do it, did you? You didn't do what I asked, again! "  
  
Riven raises her voice. Yasuo, the courtier, and everybody behind them gawk.  
  
" I told you that this was the most important night of the year and once again, you forget to do it! Spirits, it's like all you want to do is stop me from enjoying myself! "  
  
She covers her face in her hands and turns back to the courtier. Yasuo tries to put a hand on her but she shrugs it off.  
  
" When is it going to be enough with you? First my parents, and now the guest list...why can't I count on you for anything? "  
  
A man emerges from the wide, yawning doors. He's dressed as one could expect of a typical Piltovian: decked out in his finest wear, gold chains accenting a black petticoat and an artificial, hextech arm adjusting the buttons on top.  
  
" What's all this noise? "  He turns his head to the courtier. " What are you doing? "  
  
" Sir, I  — "  
  
" You are holding up this line for too long! "  
  
" Sir, they're not on the list. I don't think they're even in the right place  —"  
  
" Nonsense! "  
  
He adjusts his thin-rimmed glasses. Riven doesn't have to look up to know he's studying them both.  
  
" They look fine to me. Let them in. "  
  
" But sir  — "  
  
" Do you care more what parchment has to say than my command? "  
  
No answer.  
  
" Good. "  
  
The man whisks past the courtier once more, disappearing into the long hallway. The courtier turns back to them with his face flushed and sweat trickling down from his forehead.  
  
" Forgive me. " He clears his throat. " You may proceed. "  
  
Riven unearths her face. She wipes away the tears that she threatened to spill.  
  
" Thank you. " Then, turning to Yasuo with a dour look. " Come. "  
  
They enter into a large hallway with a ceiling so high it seems to disappear beneath the dangling chandeliers. Few guests populate it, however; most are already dancing or mingling on other floors, so it's easy enough to walk down without needing to battle a crowd.  
  
" I know you said follow your lead 'n all that but...you had me goin' for a second. "  
  
He spares her a side long glance, lips curling into a faint smile.  She returns it, just before the smile falls and her eyes dart back to what's in front of them.  
  
" I learned it from the warmasons. "  
  
" Warmasons? "  
  
" Yes. You do not think Noxus was able to infiltrate Ionia overnight, do you? They are taken in by High Command and raised from an early age on everything pertaining to espionage. They learn how to lie, how to move around in the shadows, how to read, how to make maps..anything that will help them assimilate into another country and take every last bit of information they could need. "  
  
He snorts under his breath.  
  
" No fuckin' wonder. " Beat. "But you weren't a warmason, right? You said you were a commander. "  
  
" No, I wasn't...but all soldiers are expected to learn the basics from them, just in case we are compromised in our missions. "  
  
Yasuo stops walking. He spares another sidelong glance, giving Riven a full look-over.  
  
" You look like you learned a lil' too well. "  
  
Riven stops just a couple of paces in front of him. She turns her head toward his direction, but not enough so that he can see the saddened look on her face.  
  
" I suppose I did. "  
  
" Doesn't matter. "  
  
He comes back to her side. A hand will find her exposed shoulder blades, then trickles down her spine until he can rest his palm flat against the small of her back. It's just high enough to avoid the soft curve of her backside, but still low enough that he can draw her close and let every guest know who was his for the night. In turn, Riven does her best to suppress the shiver that wants to go racing back to the pit of her stomach.  
  
The hallway comes to an end; it opens into the main attraction, the ballroom. It's wide enough to fit a village, maybe even two, and elegant enough that it could be its own city. From ceiling to floor, intricate gold trimmings are carved into granite floors, and there's a small dip towards the center, where the blazing symbol of a sun rests. Not too far off from the side of them resides a towering staircase, its shadow eclipsing the pair for a moment as they press forward.  
  
" Well, I'll be a motherfucker. "  
  
Riven bites down on her bottom lip, trying hard not to laugh. She instead gives Yasuo a playful elbow, and, stepping away from his touch, offers her hand to him.  
  
" We should dance. We'll fit in more. "  
  
He takes her hand and leads her further into the floor. They get closer to the center  — close enough to have the better view, but without the need to push their way through a growing crowd of couples swaying.  
  
" I don't gotta be a warmason to know that. "  
  
Now he brings both of his hands to either hip, and draws her in, his body to hers. Automatic, Riven rests her hands on either of his shoulders.  
  
Together, they sway. The piano's finely crafted tune is slow, so slow they go, each side-step taken only making want cave to need.  
  
The mission, she reminds herself. Focus on the fucking mission.  
  
She can't, though, not that easily. Not when Yasuo rests himself in her neck, inhaling. Not when his lips feel like they want to do more than ghost on her skin.  
  
" Yasuo, don't  — "  
  
" Pull me closer 'n don't take your eyes off your surroundings. "  
  
Right. He was doing it for a reason, of course he was. So she does the same, resting her chin on his shoulder the best she can while her eyes keep darting around.  
  
" How will we know what they look like?  It is a huge organization, is it not? "  
  
" They all move the same. Just find the leader, and the rest ain't too far behind. "  
  
So they continue to sway like that, long enough for the song to change and long enough for both to catch a tall Ionian almost strutting his way down the steps in a Piltovian-style suit and a woman on his arm.  
  
" That might be him. "  
  
Both pull back just enough for their foreheads to touch.  Riven then looks to the left of her, towards the front of the room. Yasuo looks the opposite way, tracing the path up towards the stairs.  
  
" There are some men just lingering by the refreshments."  
  
" There's some by the railing up there. "  
  
Gazes meet. If it weren't for the fact that there was what could be a small army of guards armed and ready to fight loitering about, she'd want nothing more than to close this increasingly insufferable distance.  
  
Instead, Yasuo draws her close again. Skin to skin, nose to nose.  
  
Riven forces herself to wipe her mind of him. Maybe  — and she hopes  — he has to do the same.  
  
" Your other knives? "  
  
Amber irises dart down for just a second, down to her ankles.  
  
" What about you? "  
  
His lips twitch upward for a moment.  
  
" Don't worry about me. I have what I need. "  
  
Riven swallows hard.  
  
" Let me go upstairs. I can try and get some information out of them. "  
  
Yasuo stops for a moment.  
  
" I'll stay down here, then. I can hold 'em off if somethin' happens. "  
  
" Okay. " She says.  
  
" Okay. " He repeats.  
  
Neither pull away. Then, Riven decides she should, but Yasuo seizes her so suddenly that she's locked to him.  
  
" Yasuo  — "  
  
" Be careful. "  
  
Her gaze softens for him.  
  
" You cannot worry about me now. I told you I would help you find this killer. "  
  
" I know. "  He runs his hands down her hips, then lets her go. " Thank you. "  
  
Riven pulls back. She offers a coy smile and turns towards the stairs.  
  
" Thank me when we are done. "


	3. the pursuit ( part 1 ).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riven and Yasuo fight their way out of the Brotherhood after their cover is blown but the leader manages to get away in the mean time. It's up to both of them to make sure they don't let him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: :angel emoji:
> 
> Jk, I apologize for how long it took to update! I realized how far I fell behind on my drabble series, so I had to redivert some efforts there first to make sure I was getting things moving. With all of the stuff I had to deal with, it just ended up pushing me behind on everything :( But, I also want to thank those who have been patient and nudged me again to make sure I finish what I started!
> 
> As noted above, this is going to be a two-parter! I thought about making it one big, long chapter, but I found the ending had enough of a lull in the action that I could make this a comfortable resting spot, and resume the rest in part two. That means there even though there's still only 4 parts, there will be 5 chapters ! I'd rather have something feel well paced and fit the vision I've been holding onto instead of rush it, y'know? Yeah, y'know.
> 
> Enjoy! ♥

Forget mountains; scaling the stairs is the longest trip Riven has ever taken.  
  
She is being watched. In front of her, behind her, to either side — though she doubted there were more than a few dozen or so members of the Brotherhood here tonight, she couldn't help but feel as if a thousand eyes were on her, gazes shooting sharpened blades through her back.  
  
For a moment, she brings her hand to the nape of her neck and rubs at it. Make sure there's no stray hairs, she tells herself. Don't look out of place.  
  
Soon, the top of the stairs. She has the chance to make it past a few bodies, ears strained for any talk from the white suits.  
  
_Looks clear from up here._  
  
_No reports from outside._  
  
_Then we're good right?_  
  
_I think so. Let's call it a night already._  
  
_No, we're not. Get that woman behind us._  
  
_Shit_. She realizes they mean her, but she tries not to show it; instead, Riven keeps walking, feigning naviety to the Ionian they speak.  
  
No good. A couple of men peel themselves away from their posts to approach her. There's a third one whose steps come from behind her.  
  
" Excuse me, miss. " From the side, a fourth man draws near her, just arms length away from her shoulder. " I think you might be lost. This part of the wing is closed. "  
  
Riven blinks up at him, nervous smile beginning to bloom on her features —  
  
_Wait a minute —_  
  
_Sir, she looks familiar —_  
  
The smile falters. Amber irises dart from man to man, beads of sweat beginning to form at her temple.  
  
Well, she thinks, so much for doing this the easy way.  
  
" Listen, miss — "  
  
One reaches his hand out to her in an effort ot seize her wrist. On instinct, Riven snatches it first, her fingers locking around it in a firm grip just before —  
  
**BAM**! Riven flips him hard on his back after twisting his weight into himself and down into the ground.  
  
_Damn, knew it was that Noxian when I saw 'er._  
  
_Quit talking and get her already!_  
  
Stray ivory tresses come loose from the bun as the Exile ducks from a left hook, her leg then hooking on the backs of his ankles and tripping him. The man from behind whips out his knife and thrusts it forward; she dodges toward the man to her side and, throwing her weight into him, knocks him into the railing while the knife's wielder fumbles himself into stabbing his companion's side.  
  
" Hrk! "  
  
Riven guesses she didn't take enough air out of the man behind her, because his arms wrap tight around her neck and put her in a chokehold.  
  
" Got 'ya. "  
  
" I — "  
  
Blunted nails dig into his skin. She takes her foot (spirits bless the fact that he brought her heels) and slams it down on the man's, digging the sharpest point into his toes until he screams and releases her.  
  
" — **do not think so.** "  
  
A furious swing of her right arm and she delivers a jaw-cracking punch into the man's cheek. He topples over the railing, crashing right into the refreshments table below. Riven then throws herself into the railing and grips it tight so she can see over the crowd.  
  
" Yasuo! "  
  
In an ocean of now confused and frantically moving bodies, the one she calls for whips his head up at her after watching the body fall.    
  
At a less frantic time, she'll remember his slack jaw and his eyes widening at the realization of being caught. She'll also remember what he shouts at her ("Behind you!"), and how again, honed with the desire to survive, she plunges one of her iridescent blades right into that man's stomach.  
  
In the moment, however, it's all a blur. She is dancing and dodging and dueling, tossing her knives one moment and a kick the next. There's no room left for thinking, not until she finds a moment's reprieve from nailing the last white suit into the wall.  
  
Again, the railing. Riven seizes it as she pulls herself back to the scene of the crime, which turned from pairs slow dancing together into a half-emptied dance floor, its only participants being Yasuo and more white suits who charge at him from every direction.  
  
Now, she realizes, she understands what he meant by his being prepared. She was skeptical that he'd come without any weapons — no blade, no dagger — but it seems his pair of hand fans do the trick just fine. With them alone, he's been able to sweep the men around; some go flying into the walls, others, into each other. If they get too close to him for comfort, he dances himself around them, evading every attempt at a punch, stab, or throw the white suits could conjure.  The most graceful showing of this is when he twists his body and brings the fan with him; what was once a group of men stampeding becomes leaves to the wind, all but one of them crashing into another refreshment table.  
  
Wait. All but one —  
  
" Hey! "  
  
Ducking down, tawny fingers move the hem of her jumpsuit out of the way, then glide over the holster until they retreieve a single throwing knife. Though it wouldn't have the same punch as the ones in her hair, the small, black blade she sends hurling is just enough to land in the man's shoulder and drop him to a knee.  
  
" Well, shit. "  
  
Yasuo drives his foot into the man's face and knocks him out where he kneels. " Thanks for that. "  
  
In a large room like this, silence fills quickly. Riven takes advantage of it by letting her arms rest lax atop the railing, one wrist on top of the other as her hands hang.  " Consider us even. "  
  
A smile. It is small, but genuine all the same — enough for her to smile in kind and  glance down at the body she delivered into the refreshments earlier.  
  
" I didn't see the leader down here. " Now a sigh. The short-lived moment gives way to the disappointing reality of their situation. " Anythin' up there? "  
  
" No. I assume he went the other way the moment I started fighting. "  
  
" Then he didn't get far. "  
  
Riven lifts herself off the rail. Yasuo starts to head towards the stairs.  
  
" We need to — "  
  
_Thump, thump, thump_. The sound of footsteps clattering like a storm start to shake the room.  
  
" Yasuo? "  
  
" There's more comin'. " A nervous glance is cast to her. " We'll lose the bastard if we don't get movin'. "  
  
The swarm grows louder. Even Riven can hear it now.  
  
" Then come already! "  
  
He makes a break for it, sprinting up the stairs just as a new batch of white suits break in.  
  
" Son of a bitch, they're fast !"  
  
She extends a hand to him towards the top so he doesn't lose momentum on the last step; in turn, his warm, firm grip seizes her, and, without a second thought, takes the lead in running out from the second floor.  
  
Again, she realizes, the memory of the portraits looming large and the stomp-stomp-stomp of an angry mob elude her in the moment. She only knows the blur of white and red and gold, and the surprising strength with which Yasuo leads her back to the courtyard.  
  
" Fuck. "  
  
A few gaps exists between horses. It was clear their lead was out of the area already.  
  
" Fuck. " Yasuo repeats it again. " Goddamn it, he got away! "  
  
Riven furrows a brow. It wounds her more than she was prepared for, hearing the note of desperation in his voice.  
  
She said she'd make it right.  
  
She said she'd help him catch the real killer.  
  
She owes him — and the land — that much.  
  
Riven takes her heels, letting them fall to the ground with an obnoxious clatter. The knapsack she slid into the hay from earlier is still there, and she fishes it right back out, tossing it over a shoulder and jogging bare-foot towards the nearest available horse.  When she turns to look back at Yasuo —  
  
" Well? Do not just stand there. We have to go follow. "  
  
He tenses his jaw for a moment, then nods. There's a moment where his gaze goes elsewhere, and she realizes where once he makes a quick run over to a neighboring horse. From its side was left hanging a quiver with a bow and a few spare arrows.  
  
" Let's go. "  
  
He slips on the saddle first, then helps Riven after, hoisting her up and making sure she's settled before ushering them both into the ink-dark night.


	4. the pursuit ( part 2 ).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They catch the leader, but at what cost? And where do they try to go from there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I am bad at action. I hope you still find this tolerable enough because I'm sure you guys are waiting for the best part ;3.

The chase gives Riven just a little too much time with her own thoughts.  
  
First, she dwells on how little she thought she knew about The City of Progress. She'd only thought of it as a technological trap, all glass and concrete. She hadn't thought of its outskirts; dirt road, long blades of grass stretching high, a smattering of farms claiming portions of land —  
  
A cool, country breeze  sweeps the yawning field. The scent of magnolias fill the Exile's nose as she gets a firmer grip around her riding partner's waist.  
  
This leads her to the second thing — Yasuo.  
  
Being in close proximity brought another swell of emotions she couldn't settle for. One part of her doubtful they could catch the leader now. Another part dreading that she might let him down. And still another was desiring, with her sitting on a quiet want for more of this, of his closeness.   
  
Riven closes her eyes for a moment, forehead resting on his back. She ignores the second wave of magnolias washing over, instead focusing on the indescribable scent that she'd come to recognize as only him.  
  
Sudden warmth covers her hand. When she realizes it's Yasuo, she bites the inside of her cheek, quietly, not wanting to dwell on the skipped heartbeat.   
  
" Riv. You hear that? "  
  
Those words, and she comes back to form. She peels herself away from his back, gaze darting from side-to-side. In the distance, a distinct rumble from other galloping horses rattle the night.   
  
" I guess they did not want to stay at the castle. "  
  
Yasuo casts a quick, cursory glance behind him, then snorts.  
  
" Least that means we're on the right track. How many knives you got? "  
  
" Only two that I can reach right now. "  
  
No immediate answer.  
  
" We're takin' turns, then. "  
  
" What? "  
  
" I need you to do me a favor. "  
  
Riven parts her lips to ask, and many questions want to come out ("What favor?" "What are you planning now?"), but none get to escape. There's only the gentle squeeze to her hand, and how weak she must be, unable to resist.   
  
" Stay low and tell me which side. "  
  
She understands the importance of doing; as told, she gets lower, thighs gripping down on the saddle so she could stay steady.  Beneath the robe, she feels muscle tense as he unsheathes the bow and an arrow.   
  
_Clip, clop._ The galloping grows into a roar on either side, but it's to the left that gets Riven's attention first.  
  
" Over here! "  
  
Again, she feels the way he tenses as he nocks the arrow to the string and fires. It lands in the rider's neck, sending him sputtering and sliding off the horse.   
  
_Clip, clop_.  Riven jerks her head to the right and sees a second horse charging towards them. Rather than call it, she's compelled by nerves, her hand flying for the second knife in her bun. The sharp tip finds a quick home in the rider's skull, his body yanking the saddle off with him as he falls.   
  
" Goddamn it, they don't know when to quit! "   
  
Yasuo fires off a few more arrows, each rider hitting the ground after each successful shot.  A momentary lull has her wondering if that was all the men that could chase them —  
  
" Look sharp, lady. "  
  
A duo of men had flanked from her blindside; when she turns her head to them there's already a knife hurling for her —  
  
" Agh! "  
  
For a moment, Riven is blind, her vision cut off by an arm.  Eternity stretches on in the time it takes her to realize the arm was blocking something, and that it was him blocking the knife once something warm and wet drips down onto her hand.   
  
" Yasuo! "  
  
" It didn't hit anythin' deep. " Now, lowering his arm for Riven, " Hurry up and use it. It's a free knife. "  
  
" Are you — "  
  
Her protest is cut off.  
  
" Damn it Riv! I need you to do it, I can't shoot right now! "  
  
Resolve fills where hesitation no longer occupies. With grit teeth, she wraps her fingers around the knife, tugs quick, and sends it hurling back towards its owner before he can set up with his next knife. The last iridescent blade is thrown right after, tip digging into the rider's side. With a painful groan escaping him, he has no choice but to veer off, desperate to avoid his own death.   
  
" He's up ahead. "  
  
Riven peeks over Yasuo's side. Just as he said, a lone, rattling wagon races ahead as if wanting to disappear into the horizon.  
  
" Is your arm out? "  
  
A few dribbles of blood stain the cranes.   
  
" I can manage. "  
  
" Then give me the reins. "  
  
Riven makes a clumsy reminder to herself to be grateful that, unlike her own indomitable will, Yasuo is malleable; without so much as a single word, he slips the leather into her waiting palms, then takes out the last arrow out.   
  
" If I miss, " he begins, nocking the arrow back and lifting the bow high. " you're welcome to say 'I told you so.'"  
  
Riven snorts.  
  
" Then do not miss so I can say you were right all along. "  
  
Yasuo tightens his grip on the string for a moment. He lilts his head to a side, and, after steadying himself, sends the last arrow flying off into the night. Whether it was all skill, or a hint of luck from the winds, the curved trajectory guides the arrow right into —  
  
A shrill shriek pierces Riven's ears. The wagon wobbles, and the horse, now frightened, goes jutting off into the open field, all too happy to abandon its former master.   
  
" Easy! "  
  
She tips the reins towards the fallen body, her tug gentle. The horse comes to a strut, then stops a few feet away. The pair are wordless as they hop off the saddle and run over to their target.  
  
"  H...hh - fuckin' hell, it hurts... "  
  
The arrow sticks out from the leader's body. If she has to guess, she thinks it landed in one of his lower organs — nothing vital enough to kill on hit, but necessary to leave the arrow in if he was interested in staying alive.  
  
" Can't believe we had to chase after a coward. "  
  
Yasuo uses his good arm to hoist the leader up by his shirt.   
  
" What's this? The Unforgiven, callin' me a coward? That's rich, considerin' I'm man enough not to run from my fate. "  
  
He spits in Yasuo's face. Flecks of blood mar his scruff, causing him to scowl and force his fist into his jaw.  
  
" Urgh — "  
  
" Listen you crooked-nosed bastard, you know somethin' about what happened to Elder Hasai. I want you to spit it out. "  
  
He laughs. It's enough to make Riven's blood run cold.  
  
" Fine. You got this far. " He lifts his head up just a little more, just long enough to meet Yasuo's glare. " The truth is, ronin, that there was more than one who killed your elder on that night. The Brotherhood is not just a group of individuals, but an organization that works as one. "  
  
Silence lapses over for a moment. He laughs again, still just as chilling as the last.   
  
" You can kill me, if you like, but I'm sure you know where this is going. How does that one myth go again? The one with the many-headed creature of the sea...oh, yes. "  
  
He smiles. Wraps a hand around the arrow and rips it out from the back, where splurts of blood flow free from the wound.   
  
"  If you cut the head off of one... "  
  
His last laugh is louder; freer.   
  
" ...more will always take its place. "  
  
And he continues. Laughing, bleeding, and laughing until he grows quiet and still. Riven can only watch in stunned silence, though she hides her shock in favor of clenching her jaw and furrowing her brows. Without realizing it, she'd clenched her fingers so tight together that she pressed an angry, red impression of her nails into her palm.   
  
" It's fine, Riv. " Yasuo sighs, running his hand through windswept hair. " ...he still answered one of my questions. At least I know I got a lead. "  
  
Though he tried to keep a level tone, she worried there was the hint of breaking; that he spoke with a softness that tries to hide its weak underbelly.   
  
She rests her hand on his shoulder and moves closer to him.  
  
" This is just the first step. " She repeats with more confidence, more for his sake than anything. " We will keep looking, and we will find them all. "   
  
Yasuo sighs again, this time softer.   
  
" I am still with you on this. "   
  
He rests a hand on her back again, in the same spot that had left her dizzy earlier in the evening. It bears the same effect, though it comes against the mounting confusion of where to go from her.  
  
" We're gonna have to go get our stuff from that inn back in the city. " He glances out at his suroundings for a moment, then back to her with a tired, barely-there smile. " But we should wait 'til the mornin. It's not gonna be easy to get back around to it...I'm sure the police didn't like the all the noise we made. "  
  
Reluctant, Riven pulls her hand back. Yasuo pulls back in turn, though she wonders if she saw him hesitate, too.   
  
" C'mon. See if we can't find somewhere for the night around here. "


	5. the pause.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riven tries to lead the way back until she realizes just how far into the countryside the pair had gotten. With few prospects for real shelter, and a long ride between them, certain truths find themselves coming to light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: so...smut...
> 
> i lied !
> 
> i was (keyword: was) going to make this one longer chapter where this scene and the smut existed, but this scene was not originally meant to be THIS long. i was planning for only 300-400 words before toggling into the next scene, but as it unfolded, it just took a life of its own. i'm actually a lot happier with how this turned out because i think it's important that their conflict exists on multiple levels ( conflict of the self, with each other, against the Brotherhood ), and was more or less my goal when writing the first iteration of "To Fell a Nation." I guess being caught up on homework and having plenty of idle time at work to stare at the wall helps with that :)
> 
> Regardless, I hope you enjoy ♥ I'm very satisfied with how this came out, and I think it makes the next chapter all the better !

Riven is surprised to find herself as alert as she is.  
  
The skirmish isn't far from her mind, much less her body. Between all running  she did, the nicks and scratches from the white suits and the brief, yet haunting encounter she had with the unnamed leader in the field, she would think herself ready to collapse. Eager, even. Wouldn't most soldiers agree?   
  
Not her, she realizes.  She instead finds herself galvanized by the whole experience, her posture erect as the horse trots its way back toward the city. She is scanning the stretches of land for anywhere inviting: a house with a lit lantern, a tavern taking in lonely wanderers, a run-down inn on its last legs —  
  
Her grip on the reins tighten. Her jaw, tensing as teeth grind down against each other.  There would be something around here. There must* be.   
  
" Riven. "  
  
In her hyperfocused state, Riven would normally tune it out (finding shelter was a more pressing matter than whatever had to be said, after all.) Such a task becomes more difficult, however, when the man attached to the voice is insistent, his hand gliding along her stomach and his lips brushing over her ear as he tries to drag her back into the present.   
  
It works. Of course* it works. What good was her fortress when her enemy was a patient storm? A self-assured hurricane that eroded her mountainous walls?  
  
In defeat, Riven lean back, unable to resist the warmth Yasuo lends her. Her reasons are many (she is cold, she can hear him better against the wind), but all are flimsy cover-ups for the ever-present coil of heat that tightens in her stomach.   
  
" What is it? I am trying to concentrate. "  
  
" You've been at it for a while and I ain't heard a word out of you yet. Figured you could use a break and let me lead again.  "  
  
" No. "  Her voice is firm; unyielding.  " You are injured...it is you who needs the rest. Just let me focus. I am sure we can still find something for the night without needing to go back into the city. "  
  
" It's superficial, it ain't nothin'. I can — "  
  
" I said _no_. "  
  
Knuckles pale as Riven tightens her grip more. Now she is looking left-and-right, back-and-forth, over and over and over again. There was no way they got so deep into the countryside in just one night!  
  
" Goddamn it, Riven. " The once soft croon is a terse hiss, and she can feel the frown threatening to overtake Yasuo. " Why are you so stubborn all the fuckin' time?  All you ever wanna do is give me a hard time when I'm tryin' to make it easier on you. "  
  
The once low and gentle heat that pooled inside of her churns into a white-hot anger she can't help but unleash.  
  
" _Shut up._ You think you are making something easier on me when you are not.  You think you know what I need when you do not. Maybe if you had taken pause for just one second longer to think about what _I_ really need, Yasuo, you would leave me to it so I can just get this mission over with! "  
  
" Is that what this is about? " Beat. " Stop the horse. "  
  
Riven doesn't stop. This is her first mistake, because the warmth on her stomach disappears, and a second pair of hands gripping the reins jerks so suddenly on the horse that she lets out a disapproving neigh of protest.  
  
" What do you think you're — "  
  
Whipping her head back to look at him is her second — and perhaps the bigger — mistake.   
  
Unlike her own rage, all fire and heat, his is all ice and steel. His gaze makes her wish she could be frozen from the inside-out by it, turned into a statue so she wouldn't have to cope with the discomfort.   
  
All she can do is swallow the thick lump in her throat and wait.  
  
" Listen to me. "  
  
An ivory brow twitches. She is silent.   
  
" Do you think I'm sittin' here and tryin' to take knives for you 'cause I think it's fun? Do you think I _enjoy_ sittin' here with the woman who was my fucking enemy and takin' her to task on a life-threatening mission when it's my fucking fault I probably guilted her into it in the first place? "  
  
She doesn't answer.  
  
" _Do you, Riven?_ "  
  
She looks away. It's hard to hide her hurt, a frown blooming on honeyed features. Arms, folding over themselves until she is holding herself.  
  
" ...you did not guilt me into anything I haven't already felt before. "  
  
A long stretch of silence fills the narrow space between them. Riven dares to break it, pressing on.  
  
" I owe this land a great debt,  you know. The things I have done...I..." Beat. She swallows. " ...when I saw the way you were yelling after our last fight, how badly you had wanted to deliver justice to your lost one...all I could think about was faces like your Elder, lives that I took away without a second thought. "  
  
Riven looks further out into the sky. Her voice tries to hide a sigh.  
  
" I think about what it would be like for you if my country had not come and invaded it...I think about Irelia having her family back, and you still being at the school because it was not attacked... "  
  
She rubs her arms a little and bites the inside of her cheek.  This is the most she's talked about it in years, and though she struggles with the bile creeping up her throat, a part of her finds freedom in her voice; in the truth.   
  
If only it could make more sense, she thinks.   
  
" Hey. "  
  
A warm hand brushes against her arm. Again, the things Yasuo can do — his voice now held such softness that, between it and the touch, Riven couldn't help but be drawn in by him again, her gaze now back to him.  
  
" Listen, Riven..." Pause. Sigh. " ...I know you didn't kill my Elder, but still knowin' you got the blood of my people on your hands...can't say I always got the best feelin' about it. "  
  
For a moment, Riven believes she can hear her heart topple off its shelf and shatter. Here was this young, promising man, with his life ruined by the war in his efforts to do good.   
  
And it was all her country's fault.

And she was no less culpable.  
  
When she parts her lips to speak, however:  
  
" But the more I get to know you, and hear you say that kinda stuff..." Now a weak, nervous laugh escapes him, " I trust you. I trust you'd take it back, if 'ya could. "  
  
Yasuo bites down on his bottom lip for a fleeting moment, his eyes cast toward the ground.  
  
" ...I think you're a good woman, and it scares me 'cause I don't know how to deal with it. "  
  
Relief washes over her body, but the tension still has her nerves taut. Why did it feel like something was hiding beneath the surface of his words?   
  
" Yas — "  
  
His hand moves up to her hair, tucking her now loose tresses behind her ear. His eyes are fixed on her, and only her, drinking her in until amber finds hazel —  
  
Then, the kiss.   
  
It takes forever, and she loathes it. She delights in it. She is enraptured in each ticking second, how tentative he is about narrowing the distance, even once their lips start brushing and their breaths mingle together.   
  
Soon, however, he does it. He hooks her by the hips and draws her towards him for a soft, deep kiss. Above, the quiet clicks of the cicadas swell in the night and the world is bursting with sound.  
  
When they part, Riven's hand rests gingerly over Yasuo's injured arm.  
  
" It's fine. " Glancing down at her hand for a moment before coming back to her, " Let me lead. I want you to get a lil' rest before we gotta re-situate again. "  
  
There's a strange comfort in not having to take the lead. It's nice, she's realizing, to let her vulnerability be offered and not forced. Better still was knowing she could do it with him, her rival-turned-confidant, the ronin who matched her dance every step of the way.   
  
Riven tries to fight the faint, upward tug of her lips, but fails.  
  
" Okay...but wake me if you need me. And try to find real shelter. I need some tools if I'm going to stitch you up. "  
  
Silence.   
  
" Okay? " She says.  
  
" Okay. " He repeats.    
  
She resists the urge to kiss him again, if only because she wants to fix him up before pushing the issue.   
  
Maybe that's for the better, Riven thinks. Maybe, as she switches positions, rests into Yasuo's back, and closes her eyes, rest is what she needed after all.


	6. the pretense.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth comes out. Yasuo and Riven make a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (A/N) So, I'm not saying that I plan longer breaks in order to justify an almost 3k word vomit about these two fucking, BUT - 
> 
> Just kidding! I've been wanting to do this for a while, but this update is essentially me trying to get out my vision of how I imagined their first romantic encounter being since the inception of this series. I did a similar approach in my drabble fic, but I'm kind of exploring the split between old lore/lore I headcanoned on versus new lore. My headcanons still "apply" when I write these stories, but I have been trying to flow with the new lore and see what I like/what I don't like. It was also nice just to challenge myself to see if I could really flesh out a scene like this, and I have to say, for my first attempt at a smut chapter this long, I'm happy about it.
> 
> I won't keep this long - there's some extra notes at the bottom for references. I've also provided a link in the text body for an upcoming vote (so you can click it and not have to copy/paste). I have an idea but I also like getting your guys' feedback on what's working, and what isn't, so feedback is always welcomed ♥
> 
> Enjoy!

[Vote on an Epilogue!](https://www.strawpoll.me/18958485)

* * *

" I take back some of what I said — 'bout the Warmasons and all that. "

This is what punctuates the previously held, lingering silence since they came across a softly lit home, its towering mill wheeling slow in the breeze. Just as she did at the gala, Riven invited Yasuo to trust her; they pretended to an older couple that he'd been injured in many places, and she was in desperate need of a safe haven to do it, _please, can you help us?_

By luck — or magic, or skill, she's not sure what to call it — they cave. They open their door to the pair. They offer a single bedroom with a large mattress settled up to the opposite wall, paired with a simple, wooden vanity. Atop it now sits a silver tray of leftovers and a small set of towels.

Gracious doesn't begin to cover it.

" Do you now? " To keep her mind back on the present, Riven decides to tease the ronin, her gaze fixed on the now sealed slit of skin. She draws the needle back and snips the thread close to flesh. " What exactly did you change your mind about?"

" Thinkin' it was all bad. " She needn't look up to know how Yasuo's eyes wander from the top of her head and towards his arm, a faint shudder racing down her spine. " I'm pretty sure it's saved our asses a couple times...it can be good in the right hands. "

The compliment makes her flush a little, honeyed complexion now warm to the touch. Riven dips her head back up; on instinct, hazel snap to amber and linger. 

" Perhaps I can show you how to do it sometime if you think yourself capable of learning it. "

Surprise moves across Yasuo's features before it gives to amusement. A smirk begins at the corners of his mouth. 

" You tryin' to say I can't? "

Riven mirrors his smirk.

" I am only saying, your first showing wasn't very convincing. You looked like road-crossing fauna about to get ran down by a wagon. "

He blanches for a moment, but gives in to a throaty chuckle.

" I think I did alright the second time, though. Wasn't as caught off guard. " Now, scratching at his stubble on his chin, " Give a guy a break. "

The exile says nothing, smirk falling as she continues to study him. Being this close to him, after all the dancing and fighting and the kiss they shared — 

Thoughts pull back to an hour ago, where she dwells on the warmth of his lips, the ache born from the way he cupped her curves. She can't help but wonder now how long the ronin locked away his own desire, his constant attempts to redirect having Riven stumble from trap door to trap door. 

Parts of her ask where it started, and how it felt. Was he burning the way she had, from candlewick to candlewick with nothing but wax in the way of flames? 

Another part doesn't think it matters. There's only now, and her desire, its heaviness a burden she wonders worse than her dread. 

" Think I should shower. " Yasuo punctures the silence again in such a tone that has another shiver going down Riven's spine. "I probably don't smell too fresh from all of that fightin'. "

" Let me at least wrap the site up. "

" It's fine, we can do it after. I should get it cleaned off first. "

The ronin rises quick to his feet, not letting the conversation hover. He moves to the vanity and grabs a towel, then starts towards the door. She is on her feet only a moment after, staying on his heels until his hand reaches for the knob.

" Wait. "

Riven gains certainty for the first time since the night began. Her firm tone prompts Yasuo to turn back around and come face to face with her.

" Earlier —  "

" I shouldn't have. " Yet for a man convinced of his wrong, his voice is too gentle, his expression, too tender. " I couldn't help it."

She says nothing. Eyes scan him from head to toe and back again, flickers of recognition in what he said.

" This is the closest I ever got to solvin' my elder's death, and you offerin' to help me. I didn't wanna lose your help by gettin' taken with you. "

A pause rolls over the pair.

 " ...I don't think I did too good a job about it. "

Riven's throat is dry as she pushes out her next question:

" Then the gala...Us, dancing together...was it just for the mission? "

" No. "

She keeps Yasuo pinned in her gaze, watching the way his eyes dart from the corner of the room before coming back to hers. " ...it wasn't. I tried not to let it be, but I couldn't.  I thought about kissin' you then, too. "

More silence fills the room. It's more than Riven can bare, so she promptly breaks it:

" And what if I wanted you to? What then? "

A sharp intake of breath. He narrows the distance between them, one hand back on the small of the exile's back as he draws her in. 

" Then I'd wanna make up for lost time. "

Lost time, she thinks as she cups either side of the ronin's face and moves to meet him, his lips to hers in a firm and sealing kiss. Yes, she wants to make up lost time. She no longer wants to skirt around her ache, instead eager to deepen the kiss while he walks them to the mattress. 

The descent is slow. Yasuo pulls back, moves her into it by climbing atop her as she finds a good spot on the bed. A fast kiss is shared once settled. 

" If we get to a point where you need to stop —  "

" Shut up. "

Riven cups his left cheek, thumb sweeping along the jaw. It's hard to think when he's settled so neatly between her legs,  knowing that only a couple layers of clothing separate them. " Kiss me again. "

There, she's done it now, found which door she had to slide the key into. A curtain of desire falls over Yasuo, gazed fixed down on her as he quickly wets his lips. He dips back down to capture Riven's mouth into another kiss, hands snaking up her backside until they find the zipper's tip. Matching him, she arches up just enough to hear the low-pitched rip reverberate; the jumpsuit starts to slip down, almost gliding off her shoulders until it rests at her arms.

Teeth tug hungrily on her bottom lip. She sighs into the kiss and gives in with ease, mouth parting for tongues to meet. Yasuo hadn't moved just yet, but he wasn't in a hurry: he didn't have to rush when he could tease her by just pressing into her groin. 

" Yas... "

Another thing she can only call instinct, the way she croons out the syllable in his ear once the kiss breaks. She's rewarded with a single roll of his hips.

" Mm, don't try and rush me Riv. " He fires back, voice husky as he presses his lips to the shell of her ear. " I like to take my time with a beautiful woman. "

She wants to fire back. He doesn't let her, grinding his hips down again. His clothed member, already half-firm, presses down on her clit and makes her swallow a moan. It's disguised as a shaky sigh.

" You are not fair. "

That bastard, exploiting her so easily! All he has to do is give that same, throaty chuckle, kiss his way down her neck, and she was like a silk waterfall in his hands! Why couldn't she put up more of a fight with him? 

" I'm not here to be fair. " 

Again, the way Yasuo says it, words lined like a threat with sharp teeth. He teases tugs on her neck until the skin breaks and blushes violet. When repeated, he leaves a trail down to her collarbone, where he then ghosts over to her breast with quick kisses. One extra tug on the fabric unveils the bottom half, exposing her pert nipples. 

Riven tilts her head down for a moment, long enough to see the same flame in those hazel irises. By the time the ronin's warm mouth wraps around her nipple, she can't help but crumble, a quiet moan escaping her. 

 _Come on_ , she begs herself in the back of her mind, _keep it together_. He didn't need to see what he was doing to her —  not yet.  Riven is desperate for strength here as she is in all affairs. To surrender is foreign to her. To be weak — 

Yasuo peels back from her, resting on his knees as he starts to tug more of the suit down. Gently calloused palms slide right down her curves, reminding her she has them in places she hadn't thought about. Cool air sweeps over her and the fear of vulnerability begins to melt.

" _Look at you_."

The Ionian makes her reel, though it competes with the brush of his fingers on her clothed clit. The jolt of a white-hot spark runs from groin to back; the exile jolts upright, her hips beginning to grind down on his hand.

Weak as she felt, she tries to direct her thoughts elsewhere. It helps to bring her hand down Yasuo's chest, loosening up the fabric of his jacket(1). Next, the pants(2); she uses a pinky to undo the loose silk knot, then, dipping her hand beneath the hem, she cups her hand around his groin, knowing only an undergarment was the last thing separating her. 

" That's cheatin'. "

Riven's free hand slides up along his arm, where she gets a good grip on his shoulder. She leans in to steal a kiss, lips twitching upward when her gentle, downward rubbing had him rolling his hips into her. 

" You like it. "

" I might. " 

To prove his point, Yasuo changes the pressure, pushing more firmly on her sex while making bigger circles. A couple of times he finds a spot that makes Riven's grip weaken and her hips buck.

" But I didn't say that you could. "

The jacket slides off his shoulders as he shrugs them. She's only allowed a moment of reprieve, not prepared for the shifting of her panties and  sudden dip of his fingers in her entrance.

" Fuck — "

Riven slips back down into the mattress, legs spreading as she invites him to add a  third finger, and then a fourth. She doesn't need to run a hand over herself to know how bad she yearned; each pump of his hand, each curl up towards her abdomen — she kept thinking of more of him, something bigger. 

Then, nothing.

No stretching, no curling. Riven props herself up by the elbows, her long, ivory tresses spilling over her. She gives Yasuo a half-dazed, half-disbelieving stare.

" Don't look at me like that. " 

He leans down to kiss her with a smile, something the exile returns all-too-easily. When he pulls back, he drops the pants to his knees, undoes the twist that comprised the intricate doing of his undergarment(3), and discards them off to the side. 

Amber eyes linger on the now unclothed erection before dipping back up to meet his gaze. She bites down on her finger and gives a playful smile. 

" That look, on the other hand... "

Yauso leans down again to kiss her again and moves her hand out of the way. Riven feels light and strangely airy, so she laughs into the kiss. She is even compliant enough to let him slide the last of her suit and panties off, hips lifted until they hit her ankles. Riven then kicks them off to a side somewhere — where, she couldn't care less in the moment. 

" What about that look...? "

" Think I'd like more of those. "

They share one more kiss before he leans up again, focus snapping to between the exile's thighs. Briefly, Riven wonders what it is that he sees to look so ravenous, so animal; was she dripping the way he wants her to be? Did the swell of her folds rob him of logic? 

Riven wills herself to believe it. For once, she doesn't give herself the chance to doubt. She only lets herself take the plummet with him, body shuddering when the tip sweeps along her entrance. 

" Yas — "

Once, or twice, Yasuo indulges her just enough to dip the head in before he goes back to sweeping. The third time threatens a little deeper, but doesn't deliver, and so she knows what he wants her to do in order to satisfy them both.

" Don't do this to me. "

It's more of her whining than anything, her pout showing up in her voice. All the ronin does is laugh, before deciding to oblige her with a sharp roll of his hips into hers. 

" Mh... "

The first thrust sends more white-hot jolts of pleasure that now jump and leap up Riven's spine. She relaxes into the bed, hands going to the only place they can think of: the back of her thighs. 

" Good... "

Yasuo rewards her a second time, though the roll of his hips is slower, more deliberate. It makes the exile bite down on her bottom lip, tugging the skin in her teeth. Again, she can't help it — another moan escapes her, hips eager to roll back and meet him. 

She waits, however. She keeps her hands on the back of her thighs, letting him thrust slow and deep. The couple were on the opposite side of the hall but the walls didn't seem thick enough to mute the creak of the bed, so the pace holds itself. 

Knowing this doesn't stop the temptation eating away at Riven. She still wants Yasuo harder, faster, hilted all the way in her where she ached the most.  

Instead, she contends. Her hands wander away from her thighs and grip either side of the ronin's hips; her legs wrapping around him as she begins to rock her hips upward. The first joined thrust draws a moan from both of them in turns. 

" Yasuo — "

" Look at me. "

Though it's more command than request, it's a gentle whisper that prompts her to meet his eyes. To see him without pretense — his eager, half-lidded gaze that sought to consume her — is enough to make her clench, hips shuddering and faltering into his.

She knows what's next. Her hairs stand on end as she rocks her hips down hard into his. When he matches, jaw tensing and her name tumbling from his lips like a reverent hymn, she moans low and long. From him, she'd felt a sense of warmth and fullness deep in her sex. 

Then comes the unceremonious. 

Yasuo pulls out — her breath hitches once he does for she still wasn't quite ready for the drip down her thighs. He ends up sliding next to her and slips an arm around her, their bodies sticking together from the sheen of sweat. The smell of them makes Riven crinkle her nose, but she's too worn down to fight it, and he's warm to the touch, so she rests head on his chest with closed eyes.

" We could have gotten caught. "

Riven says it after their breaths steady, her ability to rationalize starting up again in embarrassing realization. 

" I've done worse. Besides — "

He sits up a little, just enough to get her attention. When she looks up, he captures her lips in a lingering kiss. His grip on her, giving  a reassuring squeeze.

" I wouldn't regret it even if we did. "

She settles her head back on Yasuo's chest and begins to stroke his chest with her palm. Unlike him, the bouts of her certainty still fought against doubt. Was it right that she consummated with him, knowing that Yasuo's mission was still unfolding? Something like this getting in the way — Riven calls it dangerous. Risky.

Yet, her heart trips and stumbles with him. When he glides his hand down her backside and cups her rear, she moves into him. When he brings her back up for more drawn-out kisses, her body still remembering his imprint, she feels renewed and ready to give herself again.  

In her world of doubt, he makes her believe. 

Riven isn't sure if she can handle it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1)So because Yasuo is modeled off of samurai (particularly Miyamoto Musashi) and ancient Japan in general, this means what he's technically wearing is a haori. However, Ionia is a fictional, pan-Asian continent, which blends multiple cultures together - a simple one-to-one for saying 'haori' doesn't work since Ionian wouldn't have "Japan" and "Japanese" as we know it. I just put this here so the visual is easier to see when reading. 
> 
> (2) These would be the real-world equivalent of hakama.
> 
> (3) These would be the real-world equivalent of fundoshi.


End file.
